Crisis Situations
There are times when a school or community may be experiencing crisis and your mentee may look to you for support.
1. Contact Your School Your first step is to find out what resources are available through the school district and make sure your mentee is aware of these resources.
2. Contact your TeamMates Coordinator Your TeamMates Coordinator is there as a resource and support as well! Be sure to communicate with them if you have specfic needs beyond what the school can provide.
3. Be an Advocate Your role is to be an advocate for your mentee. If you see that your mentee needs help beyond the mentor’s role, your TeamMates Coordinator can help identify resources at the school and in the community.
Listed below are tools that will help your mentee feel safe amidst crisis.
- How Caring Adults Can Help
Click on the link for tips on how to support your mentee during times of crisis. - TeamMates Tips
Click on the link above for tips from the TeamMates Training on how to support your mentee during difficult times. - TeamMates Safety & Ethics Hotline
Call 1-888-788-7727 for help with confidential issues related to the TeamMates Mentoring Program. - Girls & Boys Town National Youth Crisis Hotline
If your mentee needs support outside of school, make sure they have this hotline in hand. Trained counselors are on call 24/7 to support youth and their families in crisis. Call 1-800-448-3000 or click on the link above for details. - “Run. Hide. Fight. Surviving an Active Shooter Event”
- “Know the Signs” – Sandy Hook Promise
Keeping Kids Safe
One of the core values of TeamMates is that of safety. To keep both mentors and mentees safe, TeamMates mentors meet on school grounds. As volunteers in the schools, mentors are mandatory reporters of neglect, abuse or life-threatening activities. If you discover your mentee is in an unsafe situation, please utilize the resources below:
- Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services
Click on the link or call the Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline
1-800-652-1999 - Iowa Department of Health & Human Services
- Click on the link or call the Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline
1-800-362-2178 - Kansas Department for Children & Families
Click on the link or call the Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline
1-800-922-5330 - South Dakota Department of Social Services
1-877-244-0864 - Wyoming Department of Family Services
Click on the link or call the Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline
(307) 532-2191